Sign flasher



Feb. 14, M28.

Lf E. w. APPLEBAUM SIGN FLASHER Filed May 27. 1826 a 11m Z5 RAD10-Z Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES EUGENE APPLEBAUM, E CHICAGO, II.|LII\I'0IS.

SIGN FLASHER.

Application led May 27, 1926. Serial Ho. 111,973.,

The present invention relates to electric sign flashers, and particularly to those operating on alternating currents.

Difficulty has been encountered `with the present commercial flashers, in that due to the art resulting from the making and breaking of the circuit, the brushes are rapidly burned up and there is a large replacement and repair cost.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a device Which will eliminate arcing in the flasher. l Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the class described which may be utilized With present commercial lashers without material change in their construction, this ybeing accomplished by the addition of timing gears. Or, the device may be incorporated in the'ilashers during the process of manufacture.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a sign flasher which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and certain in its operation.

That the invention may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings and the following' description of a preferred embodiment thereof. It is to be understood that this disclosure is given for illustrative purposes only, and is not to be construed as limitingr the scope of the protection sought as defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings :i5 Fig. 1 is .a diagrammatic view illustrating the herein described invention;

Fig. 2 is a detailed illustration, schematically illustrating certain of the gearing connections.

The device comprises a variable transformer regulator 11 in which a portion 12 of one core is separated from the main'core and is rotatably mounted on the shaft 13. The primary core 11a is Wound with thc primary Winding 111 and the rotatingportion 12 of the secondary core is Wound with the secondary Winding 15. The secondary core portionsV 11b of the transformer are considerably larger than the primary core 11a and are cut away attheir ends to form the segments of the circle so that the rotating portion 12 of the secondary core may be mounted therebetween. A pair of slip rings l16 and 17 are fixedly mounted on the shaft 13 and are connected to the secondary Winding 15, thus permitting the taking of current from the secondary winding When the same is in rotation. Brushes 18 and 19 are mounted on the slip rings 16 and 17 and from these brushes the current is taken to the flasher and the sign.

As the transformer may be utilized With most of the commercial flashers, a. :flasher has been conventionally illustrated. The flasher shown comprises a cam 21 which is lixedly mounted on the shaft 22 and is provided withv a series of brushes 23 lwhich are adapted to engage lobes 24; of the cam. rllhe lobes 24 are of varying length so that they connect With the brushes 23 in order. The brushes 23 are connected with the sign 26 through the lead Wires 25. The complete sign circuit is established through the Wires 25, the Wire 25a which leads from the brush 18 on 'the slip ring 16 to one side of the sign, and the wire 25b which lcads from the brush 19 to the cam 21.

The cam 21 is rotated in time with the secondary transformer core 12 through means of the gear 27, mounted on the shaft 22 and the gear 28 mounted on the shaft 13. The ratio of these gears is such that the secondary 12 will make a half revolution during the passage of each cam lobe past the brushes. The cam 21 is positioned in relation to the secondary 12 so that the brushes 23 are in the middle of one of the lobes 24 when the core 12 is in alignment with the secondary core member 11b and positioned at the end of one of the segments when the core 12 is at right angles to the secondary core members 11". The, entire device may be driven by a motor 29 which operates the shaft 13 through means of the worm gear 30 which is tiXedly mounted on the. motor shaft and the gear 31 mounted on the Shaft 13.

In operation the motor 29 rotates the shaft 30 which causes rotations of the slip rings 16 and 17, the secondary 12, the shaft 22, and cam 21. Current is supplied to the primary 14 of the transformer 11 from the main power lines, thereby inducing current into the secondary 12 When the latter is in alignment with the pole pieces 11b. ns the secondary 12 approaches a position at right angles to the pole pieces 11b the current induced therein approaches zero and as the secondary continues its rotation the current raises to its peak as the secllt) `quently there will be no ondary approaches and is again in alignment With the pole pieces 1lb. As has been pointed out the brushes 23 Will be making or breaking the sign circuit when the secondary l2 is in the zero position, consearc at the brushes.

The stationary portions l1b of the secondary core, as above noted, are made considerably larger than 'the primary core lla and are cut away to form segments of a circle. AThe ends of the upper segment approaching the. `corresponding ends lof the lower segment and separated therefrom a distance which is approximately that of the Width of the ends of the rotating portion l2 of the secondary core. By this construction smoother operation of the device is secured.

As has been pointed out, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many forms, and the foregoing disclosure is to be construed as purely illustrative of the principle involved, for with it in mind, the physical embodiment of the invention in suitable apparatus may vary with the use to which the apparatus is to be put and can be constructed by anyone skilled in the electrical art.

l claim:

1. The combination with a sign flasher mechanism of an electric circuit, a second circuit inductively coupled to the first circuit, said flasher mechanism being included in said second circuit, and means for varying the coupling of said ing so timed as to decrease the coupling of the said circuits when the flasher mechanism is in making or breaking position.

2. A sign flasher comprising a flasher mechanism, a transformer associated With said mechanism, said transformer having a rotatable core, means for rotating said core to place the same in non-inductive position When the flasher mechanism is in making or breaking position, and means for establishing electrical connection between said rotatable core and said flasher mechanism.

3. A sign flasher` comprising a flasher mechanism, a transformer associated With said flasher mechanism, said transformer having one Winding rotatably mounted, means for rotating said winding. to place the same in non-inductive position when the flasher mechanism is in making or breaking position and means for electrically connecting said rotatable Winding with sald flasher mechanism.

4. A sign flasher comprising a flasher mechanism, a transformer electrically connected with said flasher mechanism. said transformer having a. stationary primary and a rotatable secondary, timing mechanism for placing said secondary in non-.inductive position when the flasher mechanism is in making or breaking position.

' when the flasher circuits, said means be- 5. A sign flasher comprising a. flasher mechanism, a transformer associated with said flasher mechanism, said transformer having a stationary primary and a rotatable secondary, means for taking the current from said ,secondary to the flashermechamsm, and means placing the secondary in non-inductive positionl When said flasher mechanism is in making or breaking position. l

6; IThe combination of a sign flasher with means for varying the current through said flasher, said means comprising atransformer having a fixed primary, a rotatable secondary and slip rings for taking the current from said secondary and means for placing the secondary in non-inductive position mechanism is in making or breaking position.

7. A sign asher comprising a flasher mechanism, a transformer having a rotatable secondary, timing gears connecting said rotatable secondary and said flasher mechanism said timing as to place the secondary in non-inductive position When the flasher mechanism is in making or breaking gears being in such ratio position, slip rings assol ciated with said rotatable secondary, brushes y engaging said slip rings, and current connections for taking the current from said slip rings to an electric sign and through said flasher mechanism.

8. The combination ofa sign flasher with inductively coupled means for varying the current through said flasher from zero voltage to peak load, and timing mechanism connecting said flashing mechanism and said inductively coupled means for decreasing the coupling of the inductively coupling means when the flasher mechanism is in making or breaking position.

9. The combination of a sign asher with -a transformer.. said transformer having a rotatable winding, core pieces between which said winding rotates, said core pieces substantially surrounding said rotatable Winding and means for timing the action of said transformer with said sign flasher so as to place said rotatable Winding in non-inductive position when the flasher is in making p or breaking position.

10. A signflasher comprising a cam. lobes of varying length extending from said cam, brushes adapted to engage said lobes, a transformer, means for varying the coupling of the 'primary and secondary of said transformer and means for driving said cam and said transformer in timed relationship so as to place the secondary of said transformer in non-inductive position when Said sign flasher is in making or breaking position.

ll. The combination of a sign flasher mechanism with a transformer, said transformer having a stationary-primary, a rotatable secondary, core piecessubstantially surlos pus

se, id oetebe eeeomery im time e. seid faeher mechmsm e@ es te place ehe seoomaey o' seid ens'ermee in. mole-inductive pnsen when seid sign ashef is in making el* bxeekng pos'on.,

l2. The combmaon of'mezms for interuptng en eecisfe czfcua, with nduetvey ceuped mez/ms :for "vefyfmg the cufem hough sae. infefupting means from zero vo'tege te peek lead? and timing mechanism eonnec'ng sa interrupting means and i11- duetively couped means im placing seid nductvey coaped means nnen-nduetive 

